The City of Hope Chicago surgical team includes surgical oncologists and surgeons with advanced training in various techniques, as well as nurses, surgical technicians, anesthesiologists and other cancer professionals with diverse expertise in treating all types and stages of cancer. We work closely with you to find surgical options tailored to your individual needs and preferences, so you can feel confident in your treatment decisions.
Our experienced surgeons have performed thousands of procedures and will discuss the surgical options available to you based on your diagnosis, needs, treatment goals and other factors. If deemed appropriate for your treatment needs, we offer minimally invasive surgical procedures, such as robotic and laparoscopic surgery, which are designed to help reduce side effects and shorten recovery.
Whether you are a candidate for surgery depends on factors such as the location, size, type, grade and stage of the tumor, as well as your age, general health and other factors. The goal of surgery may be to remove the tumor (e.g., excisions, resections, debulking surgery), reconstruct a part of the body (e.g., restorative surgery), and/or to relieve symptoms such as pain (e.g., palliative surgery).
For some patients, surgery may be combined with other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy or hormone therapy, administered before, during or after surgery to help stop cancer growth, spread or recurrence.
Early in the treatment planning process, we plan for and proactively manage side effects from surgery. Our nutritionists, rehabilitation therapists and other supportive care clinicians work together with your surgeon to support your healing and quality of life.
Prior to surgery, we will explain what you can expect, answer your questions and help you feel comfortable with an upcoming procedure.
During surgery, our pathologists evaluate tissue samples as they are removed and provide pathology results immediately. This helps your surgical oncology team remove as much cancerous tissue as possible during surgery, reducing the likelihood that you will have to undergo multiple surgeries.
After surgery, your care team will work with you to help prevent and manage side effects. You may also have reconstructive surgery to restore appearance or function.
Explore our surgical procedures for cancer
The surgery team at City of Hope Chicago provides complex and innovative surgical care. Learn more about these innovative procedures our surgeons perform:
The Advanced Surgical Recovery (ASURE) program at City of Hope Chicago includes surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, physical therapists, pain management physicians, registered dieticians and other supportive care clinicians. “The ASURE program is designed to help patients recover from surgery faster, with shorter hospital stays and fewer complications,” says Hatem Halabi, MD, FACS, Assistant Director of the City of Hope Chicago GI Cancer Institute. “For cancer patients trying to complete treatment, it may also mean getting through their journey faster.”
“We collaborated on the ASURE programming by combining the surgical components of enhanced recovery with the anesthesia and post-operative components into one unified pathway,” says Dr. Halabi. “By working together, we aim to improve patient functionality while reducing their reliance on narcotics.”
Learn more about our ASURE program
The Department of Surgical Oncology at City of Hope Chicago provides a variety of advanced surgical procedures to treat cancer and cancer-related symptoms.
The surgical oncology team is experienced in providing advanced surgical procedures for all types and stages of disease.
Learn more about our surgical oncology program
The neurosurgery team at City of Hope Chicago is committed to providing innovative treatment options for neurological cancers and neurological problems resulting from other cancers or treatments.
Neurosurgeons focus on the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders or injuries that affect the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. At City of Hope Chicago, we treat many types of tumors, including primary brain tumors that form from cells in the brain, using innovative surgical techniques, like intraoperative electrophysiology “brain mapping” and intraoperative neuronavigation, which help to enhance the safety of treatment.
We also work with patients who have metastatic brain tumors that spread (metastasize) to the brain from another location in the body, such as the lung, colon, breast or kidney. Metastatic brain tumors are more common than primary brain tumors. The neurosurgeons at City of Hope Chicago also treat primary tumors that form from cells in the spinal cord or from surrounding structures.
Our Neurosurgery Services Program also uses advanced surgical procedures to treat neurological cancers. With many surgical treatments available for brain, spinal and central nervous system cancers, it is important for patients to understand their options. Personalized cancer care begins with communication. The neurosurgeons at City of Hope Chicago meet with patients to discuss the surgical options available and answer questions.
Juan Alzate, MD, leads the neurosurgery program at City of Hope Chicago, treating brain and spinal cord cancers, injuries or diseases using traditional and minimally invasive surgical procedures. Dr. Alzate is skilled in performing minimally invasive spinal surgery, as well as complex and minimally invasive endoscopic cranial-base surgery. Board certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, Dr. Alzate has published articles in several leading journals, including the Journal of Neurosurgery.
Learn more about our neurosurgery program
City of Hope Chicago is a Certified Quality Breast Center of Excellence™, awarded for the fifth consecutive time in 2017. City of Hope Chicago is the only center in Illinois, and one of only 44 centers nationally, to be recognized as a Certified Quality Breast Center of Excellence™ by the National Quality Measures for Breast Centers Program™ (NQMBC®).
The team of breast surgeons at City of Hope Chicago offers clinical therapies that include comprehensive diagnostics and staging to identify relevant breast cancer biology and cell mutations. Among the options available are advanced genomic tests that may lead to targeted treatment options.
Our breast surgeons commonly perform lumpectomy and mastectomy procedures to remove malignant tumors. Whenever possible, our surgical team performs breast-sparing surgery, such as partial, nipple- or skin-sparing mastectomies. During breast surgery, our pathologists evaluate tissue samples as they are removed and provide pathology results immediately, helping our surgeons remove as much cancerous tissue as possible and help avoid the need for multiple surgeries in many cases.
Our expert surgeons also have experience performing innovative breast reconstruction techniques. For example, the surgeons regularly team up to perform oncoplastic and reconstructive surgeries to remove a breast tumor, and then in the same surgical procedure, carefully reshape the breast, using various breast reconstruction techniques to decrease scarring and maintain as much of the breast tissue as possible.
At City of Hope Chicago, we combine advanced cancer treatments with supportive therapies as part of a personalized, supportive care plan designed to treat not just the cancer but the individual fighting it, including side effect management techniques designed to reduce the emotional, sexual or physical side effects of cancer.
Learn more about our breast surgery program
The reconstructive surgeons at City of Hope Chicago are highly educated and trained to perform reconstructive surgical procedures on all areas of the body. Plastic and reconstructive surgery may help repair damage to the body caused by cancer treatments or by the cancer itself. Some reconstructive surgeries are performed to improve function, while others may help patients regain a more normal appearance. Patients being treated for a variety of cancer types, including breast cancer, head and neck cancer, and skin cancer, may be candidates for reconstructive surgery.
With many reconstructive surgical treatments to choose from in some cases, it is important for patients to understand their options. The reconstructive surgeons at City of Hope Chicago are available to meet with patients to discuss plastic surgery options and answers questions. Your reconstructive surgery options may depend on many factors, including the location and severity of the damage, prior surgical history, personal preferences, overall health and the likelihood of future cancer treatments. The reconstructive surgeons and other clinicians work to help patients feel empowered to make informed decisions about their treatment.
Reconstructive surgeons at City of Hope Chicago work closely with other doctors and supportive care clinicians dedicated to delivering whole-patient care. Our supportive therapies are designed to help patients manage cancer-related side effects and support quality of life before, during and after cancer treatment as part of a personalized, supportive care plan designed to treat not just the cancer but the individual as a whole.
Our surgeons offer specific expertise in a variety of innovative procedures, including:
Learn more about our plastic and reconstructive surgery program
Our Otolaryngology Department uses advanced techniques to treat patients with various types and stages of head and neck cancers, including laryngeal cancer, hypopharyngeal cancer, nasal cavity and paranasal sinus cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, salivary gland cancer and oral cancer. An otolaryngologist, or ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor, is trained in the medical and surgical treatment of the ears, nose, throat and other structures of the head and neck.
Our otolaryngologists at City of Hope Chicago take a multidisciplinary approach to recommending individualized treatment options and encouraging patients to work with supportive care clinicians to manage cancer-related side effects and support their quality of life before, during and after cancer treatment.
Leading our otolaryngology department is Carol Bier-Laning, MD, FACS, an otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon who is board certified in otolaryngology and a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology, American Head and Neck Society and American College of Surgeons. She diagnoses and treats cancer patients, as well as patients with ENT-related disorders. Dr. Bier-Laning devotes time to patients and their families, educating them about their disease and the options available to treat it, while empowering them to take an active role in their treatment plan.
Learn more about our head and neck cancer surgery program
The urologists at City of Hope Chicago diagnose and treat diseases of the male and female urinary tract system and the male reproductive organs. They help our patients navigate the many implications that kidney, bladder, prostate and testicular cancer may have on their quality of life and normal body functions.
Prior to recommending treatment options, the urologic oncology experts at City of Hope Chicago review patients’ records, inquire about their medical history and order additional tests, if necessary. This information helps the urologist determine the origin and stage of the patient’s cancer. Our urology department offers standard-of-care and innovative treatments delivered by experts who treat only cancer. Your team of urologic cancer experts will answer your questions and recommend treatment options based on your individual diagnosis and needs.
Like the other specialists in the surgery department at City of Hope Chicago, our urologists and urologic oncologists work closely with other doctors and supportive care clinicians dedicated to delivering whole-patient care, to help patients manage or reduce the emotional, sexual or physical side effects of cancer.
Learn more about our urologic oncology program
The thoracic surgeons at City of Hope Chicago provide thoracic surgery care to patients with thoracic malignancies ranging from stage 1 to stage 4 cancer. These surgeons work with minimally invasive techniques for thoracic diseases, as well as new technology and interventions such as hyperthermic pleural lavage for primary and metastatic pleural disease.
Thoracic surgery is frequently used to assess or repair lungs affected by cancer, trauma or pulmonary disease. For lung cancer, your surgeon would remove nodules, tumors and lymph nodes to diagnose, stage and treat the disease at our Chicago Lung Cancer Center.
Often, your thoracic surgeon will work with an interventional pulmonologist, who is a physician specializing in diagnosing and treating diseases of the lungs and respiratory system. Specifically, interventional pulmonologists perform advanced techniques to diagnose and treat complex conditions of the airways, lungs and the rest of the respiratory system. They also perform minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and treat benign and malignant diseases.
Learn more about our thoracic surgery programLearn more about our interventional pulmonology program
City of Hope Chicago addresses certain skin, wound and ostomy issues that may arise during cancer treatment, including:
The skin, wound and ostomy care team consists of certified nurses who work closely with your nursing care team, surgeons, gastroenterologists, dietitians, oncology rehabilitation therapists and other clinicians.
A primary focus of the department is prevention and education. As experts in wound and ostomy care, your nurses provide education and support before and after certain procedures or treatments. The team can also teach you self-care techniques for once you return home.
The team addresses a variety of needs, including how to prevent bed sores, proper dressing for wounds, odor control for ostomies, questions about showering, and lotions to use during radiation therapy.
In addition to basic skin, wound and ostomy care, the team provides palliative care to improve comfort. They also collaborate regularly with the hospital’s Education Department for ongoing staff education.
Patients with a variety of different cancer types visit the department, including inflammatory or recurring breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and head and neck cancer. Your care manager is typically the one who schedules your appointments in the department.
Juan Alzate, MD
Neurosurgeon, City of Hope Chicago
Nejd Alsikafi, MD, FACS
Urologist, City of Hope Chicago
Raza Khan, MD
Urologist, City of Hope Chicago
Sutchin Patel, MD, FACS
Urologist, City of Hope Chicago
Hatem Halabi, MD, FACS
Chair of the Department of Surgery, City of Hope Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix
Stephen P. Ray, MD, FACS, DABMA
Medical Director, Supportive Oncology Program
Daniel Liu, MD
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, City of Hope Chicago
Aaron Pelletier, MD
Chief of Surgical Services, City of Hope Chicago
Julian Schink, MD
Emeritus Chief Medical Officer, City of Hope Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix
David J. Winchester, MD, FACS
Co-Medical Director, Breast Program
